Some of the most evocative reading I’ve engaged over the Christmas/New Year break has been from Eugene Peterson’s The Pastor: a memoir . The development of what he has famously described as “pastoral imagination” is to the fore throughout the telling of his autobiographical pilgrimage. His opening section, Topos and Kairos, I found immediately compelling. TheContinue reading “Place and Time: Peterson’s Pastoral Imagination”
Category Archives: Ministry
Peace is a Pair of Shoes
I love preaching at my church – it opens up so much thoughtful dialogue. This week we tackled the Advent theme of peace in relation to charitable giving. It had been the week of a photo of a NYPD cop buying a pair of shoes for a homeless vagabond. It had gone viral. Something ofContinue reading “Peace is a Pair of Shoes”
Peace is a Pair of Shoes
I love preaching at my church – it opens up so much thoughtful dialogue. This week we tackled the Advent theme of peace in relation to charitable giving. It had been the week of a photo of a NYPD cop buying a pair of shoes for a homeless vagabond. It had gone viral. Something ofContinue reading “Peace is a Pair of Shoes”
Mercy from the inner womb
Healthy are they who from the inner womb birth forth compassion, they shall feel its warm arms embracing them. (Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy) Mercy is often depicted as the grudging letting go of rightful retribution or discipline for a wrong, along the lines of “OK, I’ll let you off thisContinue reading “Mercy from the inner womb”
A Dangerous Method and Synchronicities
As long suffering readers of this blog may know, I am fascinated with synchronicities (aka “co-incidences”), so off I hied myself to see “A Dangerous Method“, a movie on the early professional life of the guru of synchronicity, Dr Carl Jung. I found the movie somewhat dis-satisfying, although I appreciated the exploration of his relationshipContinue reading “A Dangerous Method and Synchronicities”
Wake up to spirit and cosmos!
Jesus said: Tubwayhun l’meskenaee b’rukh d’dilhounhie malkutha d’ashmaya. “Wake up, you who devote yourselves to the link of Spirit; the design of the universe is rendered through you.” Let it be said from the outset that I am no Aramaic scholar. I’ve dabbled in Hebrew and have a passing working knowledge (with aid of lexiconContinue reading “Wake up to spirit and cosmos!”
Advent Reflection: Peace – not absence of conflict
It may strike one as absurd that a day given to reflecting on peace revolves around that fiery wild figure that stormed out of the Judaean desert preaching repentance and baptism for the forgiveness of sins. John the Baptist seems an incongruous figure for what we imagine to be peace – serene narcosis wrapped inContinue reading “Advent Reflection: Peace – not absence of conflict”
Such is life?…
Often a picture does it best. I’ve seen reams written on “the six (sometimes seven) stages of life” and even run the odd workshop or two myself. I found this silent but eloquent expression on imgur.com. The caption is a bit of a worry. That’s why I’ve inserted the question mark. “Such is life!” TheseContinue reading “Such is life?…”
Heady Sunday
It was a heady day today. My service this morning featured a combination of technology and human error that threatened to undo us – namely the wrong set of hymn lyrics on PowerPoint . A quick swapping of USB drives fixed that – then I inadvertently destroyed the world – knocking the globe from itsContinue reading “Heady Sunday”
Is atheism boring?
This was one proposition on Q&A last night – and it wasn’t posed by a “religionist”! The politician-free panel comprised a spectrum of faith and non-faith stances and there was a full ranging discussion in which each panelist acquitted themselves respectfully and well. Interaction was free and relaxed, even when touching on the thorny issueContinue reading “Is atheism boring?”
Wondering Pilgrim 